5 Things to Look for When Buying a Home

Even though buying a home can be exciting, there are some things that you want to look for to help ensure that you don’t end up getting the short end of the stick. While there are big checklists out there, this article is going to talk about a few. With that being said, read these 5 things to look for before checking out homes for sale Santa Rosa Beach FL.

Plumbing and Electricity

For starters, you want to check out the plumbing and electric. When talking about electric, that also includes the amount of plugs in the home. You want to make sure all of them are working correctly. For plumbing, make sure the toilets flush and the faucets run. You should also watch for leaks because that could mean there are costly repairs that might end up needing done.

Research the Area

You should also make sure youresearch the area. This is especially important if you have kids. You want to find everything you can about the neighborhood, including: sexual offenders, close schools or parks, amount of violence and if there are any areas that are going to be an issue, like a landfill. Once you know the neighborhood a little bit better, you’ll be more confident because you aren’t walking in completely blind.

Smells and Stains

While you’re walking through and around the home, make sure you watch for any smells or stains. In terms of smells, pay close attention to see if you smell anything like mold or sewage. Look at stains to see what kind of material they’re on and whether or not it should easily come up. You should also watch for water stains that could indicate leaks. Both of these things can result in some pretty costly repairs down the line.

Roof Condition

You also want to make sure you look at the roof condition. Over time, a roof is going to break down and need to be replaced. You want to try and see as much as you can while you’re doing the walkthrough. A good indication that the roof will need replaced soon is if you see missing shingles, cracked shingles or an overall look of falling apart. This is important because roof repairs are very expensive and you’ll have to add the expense to your budget.

Immediate Repairs

Finally, you’ll want to look for anything that could mean you’ll need to do immediate repairs. This could be anything from replacing fixtures or outside items to having to completely redo the wiring or plumbing. These can add up and you have to make sure you can afford them if you purchase the home!

These will at least get you started and give you an idea of what you need to keep your eyes open for. You want to make sure you don’t skip them and look at the house as thoroughly as possible. Regardless how close you look, you should still get an inspector to check everything out since there could be underlying issues that you can’t see.